Condenser and cooler



R. s. PORTHAM.

CONDENSER AND COOLER.

APPLICATI N FILED NOV. 8 I918- RENEWED NOV. 22,1920. 1,363,531 a Patented Dec. 28, 1920.

S. Portia/m.

16L M WRNEY ATlElhlT CGNDENSEB AND COOLER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

ratented Dec. 28, limtl.

Application filed November 8, 1918, Serial No. 261,738. Renewed November 22, 1920: Serial No. 425,907.

1 all whomit may concern:

lie it known that l, ROLAND SYDNEY Pon HAM, a subject of the King of Great Britain and Ireland, and residing at 22 Billiter street, London, E. C. 3, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in and Relating to Condensers and Coolers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to condensers or coolers of the evaporative type wherein heat exchanging elements are alternately subjected to an evaporative liquid, whereby they are drenched, and to a current of air.

The object of the invention is to provide an improved condenser or cooler of this type which will have greater ethciency and simplicity oi? construction than those at present made.

Condensers have been proposed having stationary heat exchanging elements and means for drenching or partially drenching said elements with evaporative liquid, such means comprising devices adapted to rotate at high speed to suck up the liquid from a well and throw it upward by centrifugal action in such a manner that the heat exchanging elements are continuously drenched or partially drenched with the liquid.

A condenser or cooler according to the present invention comprises a stationary heat exchanging device having a distributing chamber, a collecting chamber, and radially disposed tubes connecting said chambers, and rotating means mounted above said tubes for drenching them with cvaporative liquid, whereby each tube or group of tubes is, in succession, intimately drenched with the evaporative liquid, the period between successive drenchings being such that the film of liquid on the surfaces of the tubes is allowed to evaporate before the next drenching occurs.

The drenching means preferably comprises a distributing device having one or more radial arms provided with nozzles, slots or the like.

The rotating distributing device is adapted to rotate at a slow speed, whereby the tubes are successively drenched with evaporative liquid, the film of liquid on the tubes then being allowed to evaporate before the next drenching occurs.

A fan may be provided to cause air which may be preheated to flow over the heat exchanging device.

Suitable means are provided :tor'producing the necessary vacuum and for extracting the condensate.

The accompanying drawings illustrate a condenser constructed and arranged according to the invention 2- Figure 1 being a sectional elevation, and

Fig. 2 a corresponding plan.

In carrying the invention into effect according to the example illustrated in the drawings, a heat exchanging device is provided comprising tubes 3 of any desired section which are disposed between two concentric chambers l and 5, the outer one being of annular form. The axis of the chambers is vertical, the tubes 3 being substantially horizontal and preferably straight and radially disposed. The tubes 3 may be arranged in straight lines, staggered, or arranged in any other desired manner.

Exhaust steam from the turbine or other prime mover to which the apparatus is applied enters the inner chamber 4 at the lower end thereof and passes through the radially disposed tubes 3 to the outer chamher 5 which is connected by the pipe 6 to a pump or pumps or ejector or other suitable device for extracting the condensate and maintaining the necessary vacuum, or the steam may first enter the chamber 5 and the condensate be collected from the chamber 4.

Mounted above the heat exchanging device so as to rotate is a distributing device comprising two radially disposed arms 7 having a plurality of apertures or slots 8 of any desired section or shape. The radial arms are connected to a union 9 which in turn is connected to a funnel 10 to which evaporative liquid, for example water, is supplied by the pipe 11. The distributer is mounted in a bearing 12 of any suitable type and is rotated by the chain wheel 13 or other suitable gears driven by an electric motor, turbine or other convenient prime mover.

The tubes 3 of the heat exchanger are thoroughly wetted by water or other evaporative liquid flowing from the nozzles 8 at any suitable pressure. The pressure of the water may be due to the head of water in the tunnels which may be made of a suitable depth for this purpose or the necessary pressure may be caused by a pump. The excess water is collected in the receptacle 14 disposed beneath the heat exchanger. The water collecting in such receptacle may be drawn off by the pipe and returned by means of a suitable pump to the pipe 11.

Air, either preheated or otherwise, is led preferably upwardly and between the tubes 3 ofthe heat exchanging device. The air volve at any desired rate and it will be seen that the portion or portions of the tubes Wetted at any instant by the water flowing from the device are only such tubes as are immediately below or in the immediate vicinity of the nozzles. As, however, the dis tributer revolves the whole surface of the heat exchanging device becomes wetted at each half revolution.

Instead of having two arms to the distributer any other suitable number may be provided.

In operation the tubes 3 of the exchanging device are progressively thoroughly wetted or drenched as the distributer rotates so that they are left'witha thin film of liquid which is evaporated by the heat of the tubes and carried away by the air current -flowing between the tubes, thus cooling the steam or other vapor evaporatively.

When using the apparatus as a cooler, the liquid to be cooled may be pumped through the heat exchanging device, or may flow through by maintaining a suitable head and the liquid pass from the chamber 5 through the tubes 3 to the inner chamber 4.

In applying the invention to a condensing The fan may be locomotive, the water for cooling may be taken from the tender or other convenient source and returned thereto after passing over the heat exchanging device. The flow of air may be suitably regulated by disposing fan either above or below the heat exchanging device, such fan being driven from a suitable source or" power, or the current of air may be caused by the provision of a scoop or the like which will direct the air on to the tubes of the heat exchanger when the locomotive is traveling.

although my invention has been described with particular reference to a condensing locomotive it is to be understood that it is not limited in scope to its use therewith.

Having now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Le"- ters Patent is Y 1. fircondenser or cooler of the evaporative type, comprising a stationary heat exchanging device having a distributing chamher, a collecting chamber, and radially disposed tubes connecting said chambers, and rot ng means mounted above said tubes for (trenching thenrwith evaporative liquid, whereby each tube or group of tubes is, in succession, intermittently drenched with the evaporative liquid, the period between successive drenchings being such that the film oi liquid on the surfaces of the tubes is allowed to evaporate before the next drenching occurs.

2. a condenser 01' cooler of the evaporative type as claimed in claim 1, wherein the drenching means comprises a distributing device having one or more radial arms pro-' vided with nozzles, slots or the like.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this speclfication.

ROLAND SYDNEY PORTHAM. 

